1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tape loading apparatus used for a magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
According to a general tape loading mechanism used in a conventional magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus, a tape is pulled out from a tape cassette and wound around a rotational head cylinder. Transportation members and tape guide posts are positioned as follows.
First, the transportation members having the tape guide posts projecting therefrom are transferred and positioned by a plurality of links or arms, which are pivotally engaged with a pivoting shaft of each transportation member.
Then, the tape guide posts, which are provided on the transportation members with a high level of precision, are positioned by putting the transportation members into pressure-contact with positioning members provided on the chassis by a separate pressure-contact device. In this manner, the positions of the tape guide posts in the planar direction and in the height direction, and the angle of inclination of the tape guide posts are determined.
A tape loading mechanism of a conventional magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus will be described.
First, a conventional transportation mechanism for transporting transportation members to prescribed positions will be described. FIG. 12 is a plan view of a magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus 1200 described in Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 11-273191. In FIG. 12, a tape 2 is not yet loaded.
An S (supply-side) boat 39 and a T (takeup-side) boat 40 each serve as a tape drawing member provided on a main chassis 8. Pins 41A and 41B provided on the S boat 39, and pins 41C and 41D provided on the T boat 40, are in engagement with a long hole 43 of a rail 42. The S boat 39 and the T boat 40 move along the long hole 43. An S2 post 44 and an S1 post 45 are provided on the S boat 39, and a T1 post 46 and a T2 post 47 are provided on the T boat 40. As the S boat 39 and the T boat 40 move, the posts 44, 45, 46 and 47 act to wind the tape 2 around a rotational head cylinder 38. Reference numeral 48 is a rail section provided on the main chassis 8.
FIG. 13 is another plan view of the tape loading mechanism 1200. FIG. 13 shows a portion of the tape loading mechanism 1200 which is on the main chassis 8. FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of the S boat 39 and the T boat 40. In FIGS. 13 and 14, a boat driving arm 73 is supported on the main chassis 8 by a shaft 74. A driving pin 75 standing on a cam gear 66 contacts an inner cam 76 provided on the boat driving arm 73. Thus, the boat driving arm 73 is driven by a pivoting movement of the cam gear 66.
A gear 77 of the boat driving arm 73 is in engagement with a pinion 80 integrated with an S load gear 79, which is supported on the main chassis 8 by a shaft 78.
An S load arm 81 is coaxially supported with the S load gear 79. An S load link 82 is attached to the S load arm 81 via a shaft 83 so that the S load link 82 is rotatable with respect to the S load arm 81. The S load link 82 is also attached to the S boat 39 via a pin 41A so that the S load link 82 is rotatable with respect to the S boat 39.
A T load gear 84 is supported on the main chassis 8 by a shaft 85 and is engaged with the S load gear 79. A T load arm 86 is coaxially supported with the T load gear 84. A T load link 87 is attached to the T load arm 86 via a shaft 88 so that the T load link 87 is rotatable with respect to the T load arm 86. The T load link 87 is also attached to the T boat 40 via a pin 41C so that the T load link 87 is rotatable with respect to the T boat 40.
The S load arm 81 and the S load gear 79 are usually integrated together with a twisted coil spring (not shown) and are pivoted about the shaft 78. The S load gear 79, when rotated clockwise while the S load arm 81 is stopped, is urged counterclockwise by the twisted coil spring. Likewise, the T load arm 86 and the T load gear 84 are usually integrated together with a twisted coil spring (not shown) and are pivoted about the shaft 85. The T load gear 84, when rotated counterclockwise while the T load arm 86 is stopped, is urged clockwise by the twisted coil spring.
The S load gear 79 and the T load gear 84 are driven by a pivoting movement of the boat driving arm 73, and thus the S boat 39 and the T boat 40 move on the rail 42 (FIG. 12) via the S load link 82 and the T load link 87.
FIG. 15 is a plan view of the magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus 1200 when the tape 2 is loaded. FIG. 16 shows the boat driving arm 73 when the tape 2 is loaded.
The boat driving arm 73 has been rotated at a maximum possible angle counterclockwise. The S boat 39 and the T boat 40 each have moved to a prescribed position on the main chassis 8 via the gear 77, the S load gear 79, and the T load gear 84. A V-shaped edge 143 of the S boat 39 contacts a boat stopper 141 provided on the main chassis 8, and a V-shaped edge 144 of the T boat 40 contacts a boat stopper 142 also provided on the main chassis 8. Thus, the S boat 39 and the T boat 40 are positioned. The S load gear 79 and the S load arm 81 are integrally rotated while the S boat 39 is moving. The T load gear 84 and the T load arm 86 are integrally rotated while the e boat 40 is moving. The S link 82 and the S load arm 81 are structured so that the S boat 39 reaches a prescribed position in a certain mode, and the T link 87 and the T load arm 86 are structured so that the T boat 40 reaches a prescribed position in the mode. The boat driving arm 73 rotates the S load gear 79 clockwise and rotates the T load gear 84 counterclockwise, both beyond the prescribed positions. Therefore, a rotation phase difference is generated between the S load gear 79 and the S load arm 81 and between the T load gear 84 and the T load arm 86. Therefore, the S boat 39 is put into pressure-contact with the boat stopper 141 by a reaction force of a twisted coil spring (not shown), and the T boat 40 is put into pressure-contact with the boat stopper 142 by a reaction force of a twisted coil spring (not shown).
Next, a method for positioning tape guide roller posts provided in the transportation members will be described. FIG. 17 is a partial perspective view of a tape loading mechanism 1700 of a magnetic recording and reproduction apparatus described in Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 4-318361.
The tape loading mechanism 1700 includes tape guide roller posts 202, 204 and 206. The tape guide roller post 202 is provided on a boat 208, and the tape guide roller posts 204 and 206 are provided on a boat 210. Stoppers 212 and 214 are provided on a chassis 226. The loading mechanism 1700 further includes a supply-side loading ring gear 216 (for a takeup-side loading ring gear, see FIG. 6 of Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 4-318361), a supply-side driving shaft 218 provided on the supply-side loading ring gear 216, a takeup-side driving shaft 220 provided on the takeup-side loading ring gear, a supply-side loading guide 222, and a takeup-side loading guide 224.
The supply-side loading ring gear 216 is rotated by a separate driving element, and the takeup-side loading ring gear is rotated by a separate driving element. Thus, the boats 208 and 210, which are respectively engaged with the feed-side driving loading ring gear 216 and the takeup-side loading ring gear, load a tape (not shown) along the loading guides 222 and 224 from a tape cassette. When the loading of the tape is completed, the boats 208 and 210 are respectively put into pressure-contact with the stoppers 212 and 214. Thus, the tape guide roller posts 202, 204 and 206 are positioned.
FIGS. 18A through 18D show a positioning mechanism for positioning the supply-side boat 208 (referred to as the xe2x80x9cboat 208xe2x80x9d). FIG. 18A is a plan view of the boat 208, FIG. 18B is a side view thereof, FIG. 18C is a bottom view thereof, and FIG. 18D is a partial cross-sectional view thereof taken along line Txe2x80x94T of FIG. 18A. For sake of simplicity, the structure of each element of the boat 208 and the positioning mechanism has been simplified.
Reference numeral 486 represents a stopper projecting from the chassis 226 (FIG. 17). A conical pressing portion 486b is provided on a pin 486a. Reference numeral 464a represents a V-shaped groove provided at a front end of the boat 208. The V-shaped groove 464a has an inclining portion. A reference surface is provided each at the front end (left end in FIGS. 18A through 18C) and a rear end (right end in FIGS. 18A through 18C) of the boat 208. The reference surfaces contact the reference surface of the chassis 226 which is disposed in the vicinity of the boat 208 in a state where the tape is completely loaded (loading completion state). In this manner, highly precise positioning of the boat 208 is provided.
As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18A though 18D, the boat 208 is guided along the supply-side loading guide 222 as the supply-side ring gear 228 pivots. The stopper 486 contacts the V-shaped groove 464a in the loading completion state. Thus, the boat 208 is positioned. In the loading completion state, a driving force is maintained in the direction of arrow J (FIG. 18B) via the supply-side driving shaft 218 by a separate driving element (a swinging plate 45 in Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 4-318361; not shown here). Therefore, when the stopper 486 contacts the V-shaped groove 464a, the V-shaped groove 464a regulates the position of the boat 208 in the horizontal direction in FIGS. 18A through 18D. Since a force is also maintained upon the boat 208 in the direction of arrow K (FIG. 18B), the position of the boat 208 is also regulated in the vertical direction in FIGS. 18A through 18D.
The above-described conventional devices have the following problems.
In the loading mechanism 1200 described in Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 11-273191, pivoting shafts are required to convey the force from the loading gears 79 and 84 to the boats 39 and 40. This increases the number of elements.
In the positioning mechanism described in Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 4-318361, the positions and angles of inclination of the tape guide roller posts 202, 204 and 206 are determined by positioning the boats 208 and 210 with respect to the chassis 226. Due to such a construction, it is necessary to guarantee a very high level of precision as to the angle of inclination of the tape guide roller posts 202, 204 and 206 with respect to the reference surfaces of the boats 208 and 210. This requires the shape of the boats 208 and 210 to be extremely precise and complicated, and thus increases the production cost of the boats 208 and 210. An error in the angle of inclination and position of the tape guide roller posts 202, 204 and 206 with respect to the boats 208 and 210 can undesirably cause abnormal running of the tape and damage the tape.
As described above, the conventional art requires a large number of elements and a high level of precision of each element, This increases the cost of the loading and positioning mechanisms and makes it difficult to guarantee the required level of quality.
A tape loading device for loading a tape from a first state, in which the tape is mounted on a chassis, to a second state, in which a tape running path is formed as a result of a tape guide post pulling out and winding the tape at a prescribed position is provided. The tape loading device includes a transportation member having the tape guide post thereon; a forward wall integrated with the transportation member and disposed rearward to the tape guide post and inclined so that normal thereto is directed forward and obliquely upward; and a pressure-contact member, which is in pressure-contact with the forward wall in the second state for urging the transportation member forward and obliquely upward.
In one embodiment of the invention, the tape loading device further includes a rear wall integrated with the transportation member and provided rearward to the front wall, wherein during a loading operation for transferring from the first state into the second state, the pressure-contact member presses the front wall to drive the transportation member forward, and during an unloading operation for transferring from the second state into the first state, the pressure-contact member presses the rear wall to drive the transportation member rearward.
In one embodiment of the invention, the tape loading device further includes an upper stopping member provided above the tape; a lower stopping member provided below the tape; and a height stopping member. In the second state, an upper portion of the tape guide post contacts the upper stopping member so as to determine a position of the upper portion of the tape guide post in a planar direction, a lower portion of the tape guide post or a portion of the transportation member contacts the lower stopping member so as to determine a position of the lower portion of the tape guide post in the planar direction, and a portion of the tape guide post or a portion of the transportation member contacts the height stopping member so as to determine a position of the tape guide post in a height direction.
In one embodiment of the invention, the tape guide post includes a roller shaft; a roller rotatably supported by the roller shaft; an upper flange integrated with the roller shaft for restricting an upward movement of the roller; a lower flange integrated with the roller shaft for restricting a downward movement of the roller. A portion of the roller shaft which passes through the upper flange and projects upward from the upper flange is defined as an upper roller shaft portion, and a portion of the roller shaft which passes through the lower flange and projects downward from the lower flange is defined as a lower roller shaft portion. The upper roller shaft portion contacts the upper stopping member, the lower roller shaft portion contacts the lower stopping member, and a top surface of the upper roller shaft portion contacts the height stopping member.
Thus, the invention described herein makes possible the advantages of providing a tape loading device which includes fewer elements, with a simpler structure, and thus is lower-cost while providing stable performance.
These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying figures.